Fluid-pressure regulator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. M. FOSTER. ELUID PRESSURE REGULATOR. No. 593,091. Patented Nov. 2,1897.

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(No Model) 2 sheets-sheen 2'. J M FOSTER FLUID PRESSURE REGULATOR.

Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

WTNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT trice.

JOHN M. FOSTER, OF ELIZABETH, NEW? JERSEY.

FLUID-.PRESSURE REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 593,091, dated November 2, 189'?.

Application filed May 22, 1897. Serial No. 637,751. (No model.)

To @ZZ m7110171, it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, JOHN M. FOSTER, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fluid-Pressure Regulators, ot which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fluid pressure regulators more especially designed for automatically regulating air-pressure to air-motors, pnematically-operated tools or machinery, and the like against high initial pressures ranging, say, up to three thousand pounds, more or less.

It is a particular objectof my invention to furnish a regulating-valve mechanism that will give a uniform delivery pressure against any variation ot initial pressure and to close od the pressure absolutely when the discharge is to be discontinued.

Owing tothe high velocity of the air passing over the valve-seats, Wire drawing or cutting them, there is a liability to leakage with valves of ordinary construction. There is alsoyta diiiculty in the proper and accurate seating of such valves, due to unequal expansion and contraction of the valves and valve-seats. )ven the slightest obstruction, inaccuracy, or defect in the seating of a pressure-regulating valve Will allow the air-pressure to accumulate on the delivery side, so that if held long enough it will 4gradually equalize with the initial pressure.

For the purpose of preventing an accumulation of pressure on the delivery side of a reducing, regulating, or cut-oit valve I have provided an automatic stop-valve so arranged that when the delivery pressure from the reducing-valve exceeds the required delivery by any predetermined amount the excess of delivery or discharge pressure will act on the stop-valve so as to cause the said stop-valve to automatically close against the initial pressure leading to the reducing-valve.

Other purposes of my invention Will appear from the features of construction and novel combinations of parts in a fluid-pressure regulator, as hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure l is a sectional elevation of my improved duid-pressure regulator. Fig.

2 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view.

I n Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings the reference-numeral l designates the casing of the reducing-valve, and 2 the valve-seats for the balanced valve 23. To the valve-spindle 4 there is clamped a diaphragm 5, which is extended across a diaphragm-chamber 6, that is in communication with the valve-chamber through a sufficient space afforded around the valve-spindle for passage of an excess of delivery pressure from the valve-chamber to the space or chamber (3 below the diaphragm. The outer rim of this diaphragm 5 is clamped to the outer rim of the chamber 6 by an open top cover 7, held in place by bolts. The delivery pressure entering the diaphragmchamber 6 tends to close the valve 3 against a counteracting com pression-spring S, located between Washers 9, that are loose on a rod lO, by which the spring is supported.

A nut 11 is provided on the threaded end of the rod 10 to adjust the tension of the spring. The rod 10 is supported by links 12, that have a bearing in the open cover of the diaphragm-chamber. Between these links 12 and the valve-spindle 4 there are placed toggle-levers 13, through Which the tension of the spring 8 is exerted to hold the valve 3 open. Thus as the diaphragm 5 Will tend to rise under an increase of fluid-pressure to- Ward a closing movement of the valve 3 the toggle-levers 13 will be moved to a position a pproXimatin g a straight line with eachother, thereby compressing the spring 8 and causing the valve 3 to be balanced at any point determined by the adjustmentgiven to the said spring. .This balanced regulating or reducing valve is the subject of Patent No. 534,951, dated February 26, 1895, and is not claimed herein except as constituting a part of combinations hereinafter' specified.

With a pressure-regulating or reducing valve of a general character such as above described it is designed that an accumulation of excessive duid-pressure against the diaphragm 5 will close the valve 3 against the initial pressure; but under the great velocities of very high initial air-pressures it is practically impossible to prevent cutting ot the valve faces and seats, with consequent leakage of air past the valve and a great ac- IOO 5 spring42, the other end of which bearsl agains the valve 36 tocarry itnormall-y onto its-seat., g

cumulation of pressure on its delivery side even when the valve and valve seats are made with the greatest care and of the. best materials. 5 To obviate the difficulty above named, I d ,.have provided an automatic stop-valve 14,

f/f Y that is adapted and arrangedv to close off the initial pressure to the reducing-valve Whenever the delivery pressure exceeds the rero quired delivery by some predetermined amount. The stop-valve 14 has its seat 15 in a casing 16, provided with a tubular extension 17, leading to the inlet-porto` the reducing-valve. There is provided on the valver5 casing 16 a tubular and externally-serewthreaded boss 1S, fitted with a cap 19,Il that is perforated for passage of the valve-spindle 20, which is surrounded by suitable packing 21 and 22, inclosed by said boss and cap. 0n

zo the valve-easing 16 there are secured arms 23 supporting a ring 24,f between which and a cap 25, Figs. 1 and 2, there is clamped the rim of a diaphragm 26 by means of suitable bolts. The central portion of this diaphragm 2 5 26. is supported by a head 27 on the spindle er the stop-valve. Between the-diaphragm 26'. and the cap orcover 25 there is an inelosed chamber 218', that is in communication with the diaphragm-chamber 6l of the reducing- 30 valve 3 through suitable pipes 29- 30 and an in- 3 5 phere.

rlihe by-pass valve- 31 is provided with two ports l32 and 33, Fig. 1, communicating with the pipes 29 and 30, respectively. The port 32 communicates with a passage 34, that is 4o formed through the center of a conical valve.-Y

seat 35, the said valve-seat passage 34 is controlled by a valve 36, preferably constructed in twoscrew-threaded parts, between which is clamped the inn-er rim of a diaphragm 37, the outer rim of which is clampedbetween the ofthe valve-casing and its cover 38,P as shownin Fig'. l. A passage 39 is formed through the valve 36- iin line with th-e passage 34 ef the valve-seat. This valve-passage. 39Y

5o is controlled by an adjustable needlevalve 46, having a screwthread-ed shan-k tapped thro-ugh a cap 41, that is threaded onto' the cover 38 of the valve-easing. 41 aft'ords also-a bearingfor one end of a spira 6o diaphragm-chamber 44 of the b-y-pass valve and the inlet-port 331 there is a passage 45,

that permits theaccess of' pressure to the `1 phragm 37 from the diaphragm-chamber Got" thefred-ucingwalve.

In theoperation of this pressure-regulatin g mechanism for controlling high pneu-matic pressures the automaticstop-valve 14 is nor- The said cap 3.

mally open by the initial pressure acting on the. valve-face. From the open step-valve 14 the air passes tothe balanced reducing-valve 3, that is normally open through the action of its spring 8, though the delivery pressure entering the diaphragm-chamber 6 (around the valve-spindle 4). tends to close this valve against the said spring. Assuming that the required delivery pressure from the reducin f valve 3is, say, one hundred and fifty pounds,

the spring 42 of the auxiliary by-pass valve should be so adjusted that when a pressure z of, Saone hundred and sixty pounds enters the diaphragm-chamber 44 through the pipe 30 it lifts the Valve 36 from its seat 35 and closes the passage 39 to the needle-.valve 40, whereupon the excess of delivery air-pressure from the diaphragm-chamber 6v is allowed to pass through the valve-seat passage 34, port 28 of the automatic stop-valve- This pressure acting upon the diaphragm 26. closes the stop-valve 14 absolutely and cutsl oft the initial pressure to the red uci-ng-valve. The area of the stop-valve diaphragm 26 is large enough to give` power sufficient to force the valve 14 into its; seat 15, against any ordinary obstruction, and being preferably made of case-hardened steel the valve face and seat are not liable to cut. By means of the screw-threaded g attachment of' the by-pass cap 41 the spring 42 of the by-pass valve can be adjusted to permit automatic elosingof the stop-valve 14 from excess of' delivery pressure at the reducing valve 3' whenever the actual delivery pressure exceeds the required delivery by ten g or fifteeno-r twenty pounds, or at any other excess of delivery or workin g pressure as may be predetermined. Y

When the pressure in the diaphragmchamber-44 of the by-pass valve falls below the power to which the spring 42 has been adjusted),I the said` spring will then close the valve 3'6'on-to its seatA 3:5 and thereby open the valve-passage. 39, so as, to establish corn- 5 munication between the diaphragm-chamber 12S oi the stop-valve and the. atmosphere through the pipe 29, port 32, and passages 34 j and 39 and past the needle-valve 40 to the ref; lief-port 43, thus permitting the stop-valve g 14 to again open to the initial pressure acting i against its Working face. ItWill be observed that when the valve 36 "s closed ontoits4 seat the needle-valve 40 eaves th-e passage 39 open, and vice versa, y n-d it will also be seen that by the screwthreaded adjustment of the :needle-valve 40 P the movement ofthe coacti'ng perforated valve 36- may be reduced to a, minimum within the s requirements for `eilecti-ve and reliable automatic operation; Of the pressiu'e-regulator.

For the satisfactory controlling of' extremely-highV initial pressuresl ot air it has not been found practicable to furnish a reducingvalve, such as 3, that can be made to close oft' labsolately'when the discharge is to be disi continued for the reason that sufficient force 32 and pipe 29 into the diaphragm-chamber IOO IIO

cannot be brought to bear directly on such a valve to produce the required result, and consequently an auxiliary and au tom aticallycontrollable stop mechanism becomes highly desirable wherein sufficient power can be eectively and economically exerted for obtaining a positive cut-O of the high initial pressure. By my invention, as herein described, I have provided for utilizing an excess of pressure at a reducing valve as a means for automatically closing a stop-valve to absolutely cut ott a high initial pressure to the said reducing-valve, While by means of an automatic by-pass adjustable to any predetermined excess of delivery pressure there is provision for controlling the Operation of the automatic stop-valve according to the varying requirements for Working pressure at different times and with different kinds of pneumaticallybperated machinery or tools and so as to give a uniform delivery pressure at the point of Work. v

As a means for closing the stop-valve 14 mechanically Whenever desired there may be provided a hand-Wheel 46 on a partlythreaded shaft 47, that is tapped through the cap or cover 25 of the stop-valve diaphragmchamber. One end of the hand-Wheel shaft 47 may bear against a loose block or plate 48, that in turn bears on the central portion of the diaphragm 26 and head 27 of the stop-valve spindle. In the cover 25 there is provision made for guiding the block 4S. A suitable packing 49 is provided around the hand-Wheel shaft 47, and a cap 50 to hold the said packing in place. While the hand-Wheel 46 furnishes a convenient means for closing the stop-valve 14 mechanically, it will be obvious that other hand-operated valveclosing mechanism may be substituted for the devices shown, or a mechanicallyoperated closing mechanism may be dispensed with and the stopvalve 14 be operated only in an automatic manner.

In order to detachably connect the casings of the reducing-valve 3 and stop-valve 14 and provide for the coupling thereto of suitable inlet and discharge pipes, I may employ detachable couplingenozzles 5l,-Fig. 3, at the inlet and exit ends of the pressure-regulator, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These nozzles 5l may be screw-threaded to connect'With pipes for conducting the pressure Huid to and from the regulator. Each coupling-nozzle is provided ivith perforated Wings 52, Figs. 2 and 3, for connection With coupling-rods or long bolts 53 and nuts 54, that join the casings of the reducing-valve and stop-valve. The bypass valve 31 maybe located in any convenient position suitable for its connection With the diaphragm-chambers 6 and 2S by means of pipes, as already described.

Although I have shown the usual liexible form of diaphragm in connection with the several valves of the regulator, it will be understood that my invention for automatic con trol-of the stop-valve is applicable as Well to forms of regulators in which it may be sometimes preferable to employ a piston or rigid diaphragm to control a valve and, therefore I do not Wish to be restricted to the precise construction of valve-controlling mechanism herein shown, for it is obvious that the form and arrangement of the valves and valve-controlling mechanism maybe varied according to varying requirements Without affecting the principle of the invention.

YWhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In apressure-regulator, the combination 'with a pressurereducing valve, of an automatic stop-valve held normally open by the fluid-pressure thereon, and means for causing an excess of pressure on the outlet side of the reducing-valve to act upon and close the said stop-valve against a high initial pressure, substantially as described.

2. In apressure-regulator, the combination with a reducing-valve, of an automatic stopvalve, and an auxiliary by-pass-valve mechanism for controllin g automatic operation of said stopvalve, against high initial pressures, from a predetermined excess of delivery pressure at the said red ucin g-valve, substantially as described.-

3. In apressure-regulator, the combination with a pressure-reducing valve, of an automatic stopvalve held normally open by the iiuid pressure thereon and having a diaphragm subjected to the action of an excess of delivery pressure on the outlet side of said red ucin g-valve,to control the operation of the said stop-valve against a high initial pressure, substantially as described.

4. In a pressure-regulator, the combination With a reducing-valve, of an automatic stopvalve provided With a diaphragm, and pipe connections for conducting to said diaphragm an excess of delivery pressure from the reducing-valve to act on the stop-valve diaphragm and automatically control the said stop-valve against high initial pressure, substantially as described.

5. In a pressure-regulator, the combination with a reducingvalve having a diaphragm adapted to be subjected to delivery pressure, of an automatic stop-valve provided With a diaphragm, and means for causing an excess of delivery pressure in the diaphragm-chamber of the reducing-valve to act on the diaphragm of the stop-valve and automatically control said stop-valve against high initial pressure, substantially as described.

G. In a pressureregulator, the combination with a red ucin g-valve and an automatic stopvalve, each provided with a diaphragm, of automatic valve-controlled connections between the diaphragm-chambers of the said reducing-valve and stop-valve to control the action of an excess of .delivery pressure at the reducing-valve on the diaphragm of the stopvalve for automatically controlling the said stop-valve against high initial pressure, substantially as described.

7. In a pressure-regulator, the combination with a reducing-valve having a diaphragm IOO IIO

adapted to be subjected to the action of the delivery pressure, and an adjustable counteracting spring for said valve and diaphragm, of an automatic stop-valve, and by-pass-valve mechanism for controlling an excess of delivery pressure at the reducing-valve to act upon and automatically control the stop-valve against high'delivery pressure, substantially as described.

8. In a pressure-regulator, the combination with a reducing-valve, and an automatic stopvalve, each provided with a diaphragm and diaphragm-chamber, of by-pass and relief mechanism connecting the said diaphragmchambers and comprising a valve-casing provided with inlet and exit ports and a reliefport, an adjustable needle-valve and a bypass valve in said casing, the said by-pass valve and its seat being provided with passages controlled by the by-pass valve and needle-valve, alternately, a diaphragm carried by the by-pass valve, and an adjustable spring to normally seat said valve against the pressure in the diaphragm-chamber of the reducing-valve and permit unseating of the bypass valve for passage of a predetermined excess of delivery pressure from the reducingvalve to the diaphragm-chamber of the automatic stop-valve and control the operation of said stop-valve against high initial pressure, substantially as described.

9. In a pressure-regulator, the combination with a reducing-valve, of an automatic stopvalve provided with a diaphragm adapted to be subjected to the action ot' delivery pressure from the said reducing-valve to automatically control the said stop-valve against high initial pressure, and hand operated mechanism for mechanically closing the said stop-valve, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset my hand in presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN M. FOSTER.

lVitnesses:

FRANK FRANCIS, G. SYDNEY GEORTNER. 

